Pier Net

Visited the pier a couple of days last week my first time. Just watched the first day and fished some the next day and as I told my wife I love pier fishing and did not catch anything.

I am am now assembling a pier rig. Can't find any info on pier nets. Best place to buy one and best net to buy. Would appericate some guidance and info.

Thank for for the information passed alone on this site. Wish you had a thread for fishing report only. You may have one I have missed.

Thanks,
TalkingRock

Talking Rock,
Gulf State Pier Fishing Reports has the daily pier fishing reports. You can't access that forum title unless you are a member. It's free, just sign up and your in.
Also, I would buy my net from J&M Tackle on Canal Rd. In Orange Beach under the water tower. Make sure you get one with the second ring sewn into the bottom so the net drops and hoops open properly in the water. God luck and welcome aboard.

also something I need to pick up, but wondering if a gaff would be better or worse? Pros/cons?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fordguy

also something I need to pick up, but wondering if a gaff would be better or worse? Pros/cons?

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Gaff is a bit harder to use, also not very useful on smaller fish when using light tackle. Pier net will bring pretty much anything you catch up over the rails, you just might have to take a knife to some fish to do the job the gaff would have done. Net seems more versatile, however it takes up a lot more room. If you're going to fish for variety, get a net. if you're going for kings/reds/cobia, then the gaff would be fine. That's my understanding of it anyways, I just use my brother's net when I go down.

Gaff is needed if you are targeting King, Ling, Jacks, etc...
Net is for most everything else.
J&M has both nets and gaffs, plus good nets are also available at Brunson Net in Foley.
There is usually someone with a gaff and/or net willing to help get fish to the deck during the day, but at night; not so much.

When you get a net, immediately replace the thin rope that comes with it with 1/2" braid (not twist) so you can haul up a big fish without hurting your hands. At least get rid of the excess length to avoid tangling---can't tell you how many fish are lost because the net man's rope is all tangled and he can't get his net to the water.

+1 to what haywire said, almost lost a 6lb spanish once because my buddy had tangled up all the excess line on my net, hook came out just as we got the net under it, as soon as i got the fish in the cooler i took a knife to it, and same with changing the line as well, ended up with some nasty rope burn bringing up a jack when the line slipped and ran through my hands